Most students face an international move with a combination of excitement and apprehension. Moving within the confines of your home country can be difficult enough; moving across borders adds a whole new dimension of cultural differences which can magnify the stress we all naturally feel in a new environment.

The single most important things that you can do to ensure a successful sojourn abroad is to have realistic expectations. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to gauge how realistic your expectations are before you go. You can, however, help define your perspective by considering the following point.

How much do you know about daily life in Shanghai you are moving to?

It’s one thing to know about the history of a country or a city, to be familiar with the cultural icons and know where the best hotels are. But how much do you know about the infrastructure of the city? How much does it cost to live there? What is it like to go shopping? What is the definition of “service” in the new city? Will you be able to find a restaurant, go to a nightclub alone, wear shorts, ski? In other words, will you be able to find all of the things that you count on to make your life easier and more pleasurable? And if you can’t, can you live without them or find acceptable substitutes? There are very important question to answer before you go. CCOC wishes to ensure that students are well-prepared for the basic day-to-day essentials of life in Shanghai.
Please take the time to read through the following informative links to make your relocation as smooth as possible:

        • Transportation
        • Housing
        • Utilities
        • Health Insurance
        • Attire
        • Banking
        • Shopping

If you have further questions on any of these topics please e-mail.